Wardrobe case



J. RITTER, JR

WARDROBE CASE Filed Dec. 12, 1929 Ll l IN VEN TOR. alla mi. fn, BY

TTORN E YS Patented May 29, 1934 WARDROBE vCASE Julius Bitter, Jr., Racine, Wis., assigner to Hartmann Trunk Company, Racine, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application December 12, 1929, Serial No. 413,536

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in Wardrobe cases, of the type adapted to be used, primarily by women, as han-d luggage.

It is one oi the objects of the present invention to provide a wardrobe case comprising a pair of complementary sections and having foldably mounted within the inner end portion of one section an elongated clothes rack, whichrack eX- tends toward the outer end portion of said section 1 0 and is adapted toy be moved so as to be outwardly of said end portion when the case is open, to facilitate the disposition of clothes on said rack or removal therefrom and for convenience in inspecting the apparel.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wardrobe case-having a clothes rack hingedly mounted Within one section for projection out of said section, said rack being adapted to assume a compact position within saidsection adjacent its 1 20 rear wall when the case is closed.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a wardrobe oase of `the class described having a hingedly mounted clothes rack, releasable meanscooperating with the clothes raekjfor' hold'- ing the clothes rack in' its inner lposition within the case section and maintaining apparel kin proper position on the clothes rack. i u A vfurther object of the invention is to provide,

in a wardrobe case of the class described, strap .73o means releasably secured between the clothes rack andthe sectionwithin which it is mountedvior limiting the outward movement of said clothes rack with' respect togitsse'ction when the case is open, said strap means, upon being released., permitting the clothes rack to drop to an outofthe wayposition with respect to its section.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wardrobe case having a wardrobe section with a foldable clothes rack therein, the wardrobe sec- 0 tion being formed at its inner en-d portion with a side extension -to receive and accommodate the end portions of long garments suspended from said clothes rack.

A further object of the invention is to provide a Wardrobe case of the class described which is of convenient size and proportions for hand transportation, has a relatively large capacity for garments, and holds the same in a compact manner minimizing creasing and wrinkling, is strong and V5() durable; and is Well adapted for the purposes described.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved wardrobe case, and its parts and combinations as set forth in the 55 claim, and all equivalents thereof.

(Cl. 1MP-41) in the accompanying drawing, in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts 'm all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the ir'nproved wardrobe case taken on line .1;-1 oi'Fig. 2, 6oI only with the clothes rack harnessreleasedand the clothes rack projected outwardly ef .the wardrobe section of the case; Y l

Fig.` 2 is a frontvievv of the wardrobe casein open position with a portion brokenaway; l

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional viewtaken online3--3oiliig-2yand l Fig. .4 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on line4-4ofliig- 1.v

Referring now more particularlyto the draw,- V ing, it will appear that the improved wardrobe case includesl in general a `substantially rectangular .body or wardrobe section 8, U-shaped morose-section, and having a lower, rightangular end extension 8', and a .rectangular cover 75 or-v compartrnent, section .9, v U-.shapedy in crosssection, and hingedly connected at its inner end portion `to the upper edge portion of the outer wall l0 ofthe extension 8.e ,p Y A.

f The compartment section 9Vis provided with 80 a trapsverseppartition 11 `interni@diate itsend., forming a pair. of compartments for smaller. ar? ticles oiapparel, and;r pairs ofvties lizare vsecured Within eachcompartment `forholding the gar"-v ments r or apparel imposition, therein. The sides 13 of the compartment section have rearwardly projecting portions 13 extending rearwardly:V of the rearwall ,14 vand vthe rearedge .of the bottom 15 of said section. The open ends o iv the-compartmentsare adapted to be coveredbyaiabric curtain 16 I,which is ,.Seured to the front `wall of the compartment section, and is also secured to the upper outer portion of the rear wall 14 by snap fasteners l'7.

Hingedly or foldably mounted with respect to the wardrobe section 8 is a clothes rack comprising a pair lof supporting arms 18 and a top bar 19 joining the upper or outer ends of the same. The lower end portions of the arms 18 are formed as brackets 18 with lower right angular ilanges formed with openings 20, for the purpose hereinafter to be explained. The bracket portions 18 are pivotally secured to opposite inner or lower portions of the sides of the Wardrobe section by pivot bolts 21.

An intermediate portion of each arm 18 has secured thereto an end portion 0i a iiexible strap 22. The manner in which a strap is secured to its arm is shown in detail in Fig. 4, and it will be seen that the inner face of the arm carries a short metal band 23, secured only at "its end portions, and the strap end portion is interposed between the arm and band, the latter exerting pressure, and a rib 24 struck from the band forces a portion of the strap into a recess 25 in the arm. The opposite end portions of the straps 22 are releasably held to inner side portions of the wardrobe section by snap fasteners 26. Normally, when the wardrobe case is open, and the clothes rack is projected outwardly, said straps hold the clothes rack in an angular, outward position with respect to the clothes rack, as shown in Fig. 1, but if the snap fasteners 26 are detached the clothes rack may be further dropped, to an out-of-the-way position.

For the purpose of maintaining the clothes rack in proper position within the wardrobe section and for holding garments in place on the clothes rack, a strap device for harness 27 is provided, which. is in the form shown in Fig. 2. Said harness is formed of secured together longitudinal and cross strips of fabric with inner elastic elements 28 within side portions of the fabric, as shown in Fig. 3, to give yieldability and elasticity to the entire harness. The upper or outer end portions of the harness Vare secured within the upper or free end portion of the wardrobe section, while the lower end portions of the harness carry hooks 29 for releasable hooking engagement with the openings 20 in the brackets 18 of the arms 18.

In open position the wardrobe case may assume the position shown in Fig. 1, and to permit the clothes rack to be swung outwardly with respect to the cover section from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 1, the hooks 29 of the harness must be disengaged and the harness moved to an out-of-the-way position or thrown over the top edge of the wardrobe section. Then, the clothes rack may be dropped forwardly and outwardly of the wardrobe section to the extent permitted by the straps 22, and garments may be readily hung over or removed from the bar 19 of the clothes rack, or they may be conveniently inspected. In

packing, it is expeditious in this position ci the clothes rack, to drape garments over the top of the wardrobe section, and then when the clothes rack is moved inwardly, the garments may be folded onto the bar 19 in correct position very easily.

When the wardrobe case is packed and garments hung over the clothes rack, said rack is folded closely into the connes of the wardrobe section, and it is so held, and the garments held thereon against dislodgement, by the harness 27 which is drawn over the front of the clothes rack and is hooked to the brackets 18. The compartment or cover section 9 may be then closed with respect to the wardrobe section, and is so held by suitable latches 30. For convenience in carrying the case a handle, formed of two complementary sections 31 and 31, carried respectively by the wardrobe section and the cover section, is provided, and when said sections are closed said Yhandle sections come into juxtaposition.

Y It will be observed that the clothes rack is elongated and lies lengthwise within the wardrobe section, being pivotally or foldably mounted near the lower or inner end portion of said section and extending up to the outer end portion of the same. Therefore, but little movement of the clothes rack is required to swing the free end portion of the same carrying the bar 19, out of the wardrobe section for access. The right angular lower extension 8 of the Wardrobe section is of advantage in receiving and accommodating lower end portions of garments which are too long to be received entirely within the main portion of the wardrobe section. f

The outer edge portions oi the walls of the wardrobe section are formed with groove Valances 32 to receive tongue Valances 33 or the edges of the walls of the cover section to form, when the case is closed, a tight joint. the projecting portions 13 of the side walls 13 ci the cover section leave a substantial engagement with adjacent portions of the walls of the extension 8', thereby strengthening the joint and Also, when the case is closed tending to prevent lateral displacement of one section with respect to the other.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the improved wardrobe oase is of Very simple construction and is well adapted for the purposes set forth.

What is claimed as the invention is:

A wardrobe case, comprising a wardrobe section having a side extension at its lower end, a compartmental cover section hingedly connected to an. upper edge portion of said extension, a clothes rack mounted entirely within said Wardrobe section, pivotal connections within the lower portion of the wardrobe section between the same and the rack, said rack being movable outwardly of the upper end portion of said section,` and flexible means detacliably connected between said clothes rack and the wardrobe section for releasably maintaining a certain relationship between said members when the case is open.

JULrUs RITTER, JR. 

